Activities for 3-Year-Old Preschoolers

Sandwich Bag Activities

• Put shaving cream in a plastic zipper bag and tape the bag to the top of a desk. Tell the preschooler to use his fingers to write letters, numbers and shapes in the shaving cream. To color the shaving cream, add a couple of drops of food coloring to each bag. For another bag activity, put blue aloe vera gel in the bag. Place small plastic toy fish in the bag and allow the preschoolers to squeeze the bag to make the fish move. Tape along the edges of the zipper to keep the bag sealed. For added fun, allow the children to help you create the bags. Always supervise young children with zipper bags and any large bags that can fit over their heads.

Beanbag Activities

• Make a beanbag toss game with a cardboard box. Cut round holes in the bottom of the box and turn the box upside-down. Give the preschoolers beanbags to try to toss in the holes. For added decoration, paint the box with colors and shapes. For another activity, give each preschooler a beanbag and tell him to try to balance it on his head. Have the children jump and hop while trying to balance the beanbags.

Ball Activities

• Have all the preschoolers sit in a circle and spread their legs out. Hand one of them a ball. Tell them to roll the ball back and forth between one another. Tell them to call out numbers or letters as they roll the ball. For another ball game, place a basket on the ground. Have the children line up about 3 feet from the line and try to toss the ball into the basket.

Bubble Activities

• Take the preschoolers outside and blow bubbles for them. Tell them to try to pop or catch as many bubbles as they can. After they have fun catching and popping the bubbles, give each child a bubble wand. Blow bubbles and tell the children to try to catch a bubble on their wands. They can try to catch multiple bubbles on the same wand. Dip their sticks in the bubble mixture and help them blow bubbles. Teach them how to blow large and small bubbles.